Getting it Right with Beautiful Brights “Neutral” style color palettes are beautiful. No doubt about it. Soothing, practical, safe…”buyers love it,” and of course easy to furnish around. But here’s a thought: think of it as “food.” To be clear, I am not advocating a chaos of wildly colorful environments that you can’t live in or with. In fact, bright colors definitely have a place in sophisticated interiors.
Now that we have that bit out of the way, I wanted to share my more detailed thoughts about feeling confident and free in experimenting in finding the very best colors that you Will love to live In–and With.
The extensive collections I’ve created to show on Samplize.com include a variety of selected hues from all color families. Current collections you can get samples for right now include various Historic palettes in light, medium, and dark colors (use them for any house period), bedroom, and more. The featured colors are all from either Benjamin Moore, Sherwin Williams, or Farrow & Ball. You might find, at a glance, that some colors seem similar. But, when you see the actual samples on various areas of the walls and ceilings, in different lighting times of day and evening, natural or artificial light sources, you will notice the differences.
Flavor and Nuance As with cuisine, nuance of seasoning is important to the best results. Sometimes we need a spot of bright energy in our world. At the risk of sounding trite, we could even call it a bit of “happiness.” Take this idea into our interiors and even exteriors. While the important “soft and neutral” colors can create beautiful environments, there’s also a place for using some stronger—even darker—color. Whether our color decisions come from habitual personal preference or a stylistic trend, considering stronger colors can also be a happy surprise. You can see many beautiful examples of some strong, deeper hues, included in the other collections.
But for this specific group, think of the colors of foods, for example…winter squashes and pumpkins, tomatoes, eggplants, and of course all the greens. Then look at the brighter colors in nature—flowers, water, and more. Incorporating some of these colors, even in smaller amounts, can create more flavor and nuance in an already beautiful, harmonious neutral style menu of color.
For example, have you ever considered a pink – and – red living room? It may not be your “cup of tea” but I love this example from Farrow & Ball!
Exterior settings can also enjoy…something a bit different.
] 6 families were involved in confirming the above color scheme. They asked for something Bold, and Different. (photo by Barbara Jacobs)
A more conservative exterior for this Victorian era home, that still enjoys a bit of Punch… (photo by Barbara Jacobs) The client reports this…
I lived with a drab house for close to 15 years. When it came time to paint my modest three-story Victorian I wanted something that popped. I called Barbara on the advice of a friend and immediately realized that she could see beyond color chips.
She considered the shape of the house, the number of windows, the colors and condition of the existing foundation and roof. She even considered the neighbor’s house. Things that weren’t on my radar. Barbara offered a color scheme I could dial up or down for drama or detail and when we were in the midst of painting and I had a quick question, she responded immediately. Read more…6th row down the page, right side!
You might enjoy being completely enveloped in the energy of stronger, brighter colors; or you might enjoy them more when you include them as accents, trim, or special elements.
An example of unusual color in a bedroom…also consider elements like bookshelves, lighting fixtures, and artwork! Check out this color combination on a color wheel. (photo and square artwork by Barbara Jacobs / oil painting diptych by William Saltzman)
A strong Yellow-Green is not a typical color, but this is a beautiful example. Also from Farrow & Ball.
Getting comfortable with ‘discomfort’ Personally, I love combining colors that are a bit “out of my comfort zone,” for the sake of a color adventure–trying new ideas for inspiration. In any case, I encourage you to consider some of these that cross multiple spectral hues. Because the painted sample cards from my collections on Samplize are repositionable, you can easily stick them up on any wall position along with your other selections.
The extensive collections I’ve created to show on Samplize include a variety of selected hues from all color families. Current collections you can get samples for right now include various Historic palettes in light, medium, and dark colors (use them for any house period), bedroom, and more. The featured colors are all from either Benjamin Moore, Sherwin Williams, or Farrow & Ball. You might find, at a glance, that some colors seem similar. But, when you see the actual samples on various areas of the walls and ceilings, in different lighting times of day and evening, natural or artificial light sources, you will notice the differences.
Three final tips for now 1. Please to Not expect one paint company to accurately “match” a color from another paint company. It’s more reliable to just use the product that makes the paint color you want.
2. Always view the colors on the surfaces you want to paint them! We often look at paint colors on a table, for example…but the right direction to view is what makes all the difference! If we’re not painting the floor, don’t view colors in that direction.
3. Enjoy the adventure!
As a professional affiliate, I do receive a small commission—at no chage to you—when you purchase from Samplize.
Sound familiar?
We’re familiar with the ‘old song’ about the difficulties that can occur getting 2 people who share a home to agree on design decisions.
As pleased as I was to be asked to consult with the owners of a historic Boston co-op building, I was equally aware of the challenges in satisfying the requirements of a group of property-owners sharing a very real interest in the same building. The subject of my work for them was to create a new color palette for the lobby and vestibule of their 1924, “classic Old-Boston” building in the historic heart of Boston.
The Challenge
My first meeting with the property owners included at least one person representing each unit. After our introductions, we had a vibrant dialogue that consisted primarily of their expressing personal likes and dislikes. Starting with the existing bright yellow in both the vestibule and the lobby itself, opinions were effusive and diverse! “I Hate Yellow!” …”I’d Kill for Yellow!”
Original colors: Yellow Entry
Well, the fact is that the existing color Was yellow, in the lobby area as well as the entry vestibule. The dialogue continued, then, with a review of the purpose of my working with them and defining the goals. Having listened to–and Hearing–their concerns, I described the approach I would take to meet the goals.
The Process
Basically, it came down to “what is best for the building will be best for the group.” This is a good example of communicating when it’s necessary to leave the individuals’ strongest color preferences in their own interior spaces. As a core belief I hold for this kind of situation, it was my consistent emphasis at that time and throughout the entire extended process of the renovation.
During that first day, I selected a variety of colors to create an overall palette direction. I focused on a range of warm and cool “earth-tones” with a few accent colors as options to consider.
The points that were the focus of my approach in meeting their requests included:
Make the most of the beautiful, historic building.
Classic colors that suit the building. A palette that’s distinctive, not “ordinary,” yet one that’s comfortable and welcoming.
Focus on the architecture.
It’s often about moving beyond what is currently there, what we’re used to seeing. Change can be traumatic.
What’s the experience we, and others, have when coming into–and leaving–the building?
Respect for and reflection of the quality and style of the current panel murals. Not matching, but rather enhancing and supporting.
The Spaces
I was asked to consult about paint colors for “a lobby.” When I arrived at the site for our first meeting, I discovered something a bit more complex. Yes, it was actually two spaces–not one. But what a pair! The entry vestibule, and the actual lobby.
Here are the new colors you can compare with the original yellow, shown above.
Final colors: 2 Views in the vestibule, left and right sides.
Timing is important!
Because the color selections were just one part (but a critically important part!) of the process of the extensive renovation of the space, it was good to be brought in at the beginning of the process rather than right before the painters were to start. I visited the site throughout the construction process for color-plan reviews with the group’s point person. Sometimes 2 or 3 people met with me but that was a good thing to continue to communicate and confirm our direction and the ultimate selections.
After developing the main palette for the two spaces, which included a variety interesting, yet conservative, colors, they asked me to add an alternate palette they described as “bolder, brighter, and ‘cheerier’.” Remember, they are coming from …bright yellow.
Entry vestibule
Coming in from the street, the vestibule has some natural light–but of course being very dimly lit at night with limited light sources. Lots of an almost-pink color marble, a high ceiling, and beautiful black, wrought-iron crafted doors. Bright yellow walls!
Original colors: Entry – come up the stairs
The Lobby Area
A long, narrow rectangle – you enter on the long side. At each end of the room there’s an entrance to an individual condo. Each of the upper stories of the building has only one unit per floor. The walls are divided into sections, with moldings framing mural panels. The walls below the chair-rail molding are divided in the traditional manner with sectioned frame-style molding.
Original colors: Half of the lobby area.
Overhead fans with lights, and 2 table lamps make the yellow walls even more glaring.
The Murals
As it happened, and what came out in conversations, people had reactions to the murals that were as strong as their feelings about the current yellow wall color! Some of the owners even said they had never really liked the murals.
But most were wanting to keep them, so the questions became: How to select a color that will support the hues and tone of the mural panels, yet not have to “match” anything there?
Original colors: Mural wall – closeup
Near the murals, the space called for a particular color type.
The lower part of the wall had some other requirements because it was adjacent to the marble (same as vestibule) as baseboard, with a multicolored stone floor that had very different color indications.
Even though I intended to keep all the background wall colors very “neutral,” personally I thought that it could be interesting to pick up one or another of the mural colors in an accent…even a very thin pencil-outline around the mural frame, as if using a fillet in the mat and framing of artwork. I still think this would have been an interesting way to make the murals be more like individual fine art pieces, since they were each already framed as if they were individual paintings.
I was asked to consider a variety of decorative treatments that would have been completely appropriate to the space, the history, and the architecture, but budgetary considerations brought us back to the paint-only model. For this, even though I had many years of experience in these artistic applications, I would have brought in another professional to do that work.
The Floor
In any location the floor is usually a large portion of visible surface. Even with furniture in a room, it’s a big consideration in any space because, after all, it is at the base of what every other surface relates to in some way, either perpendicularly or in parallel.
Original wall colors – Granite tile floor.
One of the parties had a personal request to see something like a very pale pink on the walls with a grayish greenish white on the trim–or even perhaps a stronger color like “a soft orange, with a cream trim.” She mentioned it being difficult for some people to go from bright yellow to “gray,” so they wanted to see a brighter, more vivid, option. Having no problem with this request, I did present another palette that would also represent the goals for this space. Ultimately, they selected one of the original color combinations.
The Lighting
Knowing that there would be an entirely different lighting setup once the construction was done–yet working in a very yellow type of low-light situation during the entire paint specification process was interesting. It required quite a bit of imagination and awareness of the impact of lighting on how color will really ‘look’ in a particular area under different lighting conditions.
I had no real examples of the specified lighting, where I could refer to my actual painted color cards for a representation of my palette in the renovated space. I just knew somewhat the type and basic “color” of the specified lighting. It was helpful to consult with the lighting designer for this project, Doreen LeMay Madden of Lux Lighting Design, about what I might expect, in general, from the lighting plan she had created for this space.
Getting Married
All these elements that were not so noticeable at first glance, with the overpoweringly hued yellow walls and the inadequate lighting. But when you take away the distractions of the extreme yellow and the green rug, the marriage had to go forward into a future of the two spaces having compatible and complementary, harmonious existence!
Ideas about color abound, and new ones come up all the time. If your walls could talk, they would tell an interesting and maybe even surprising story! But who are you? The powerful message includes minimalist, brave, shy, bold, extravagant, frugal, cautious, athletic, social…? The list can go on and you can add your own ideas in the comments!
What is “Applied Color Psychology?” For now, I’ll offer a few ideas according to theories of “applied color psychology.” I’ll even offer a little “quiz” right here, for you to have fun with. When you think about your answers and how you match up the color blocks with the various descriptions, remember it’s not for selecting a house color or a room color. That’s a more detailed set of questions and personal considerations. And, it’s a topic for another time!
If this quiz image inspires you to share it–and I hope it does–please remember and respect that, as with all copyrighted materials, this requires permission to reproduce or share directly. Just share the post instead!
I look forward to hearing about your ‘answers’ and your ideas, in the comments to this post.
Where do our personal preferences come from? It’s a complex and multi-leveled process…So from the bottom up, please consider these levels of influence:
Biology-Physiology: the lightwaves that make up all colors do have an effect on us, we’re just not usually aware of it.
Colors in Nature and materials: From plants and rocks, water, animals and more, we are surrounded by colors of nature
Colors as archetypes: Consider how a bee, if black-and-yellow, carries it’s own warning signs. We use these colors intentionally i our world also.
Social and cultural constructs: Different cultures assign a variety of important characteristics to various colors. Red, and white, being two of them. Opposite in one culture from another!
Fashion, politics, trends: I call it “planned preferences” when color trends take center stage. It’s about marketing and sales. But on the bigger and more fundamental level, these ‘color trends’ have a deeper beginning.
Personal life experiences: Do you have a color you Love or Hate, that was present in your youth or in a relationship or other experience? That carries onward as we get older.
I am often asked by clients to state my favorite color. My answer is typically something a question, like…For what purposes? orIn what situation? or even more often, just stating thatI don’t really have one single favorite color.Take yellow, for example…a color that is often difficult to use for interiors because it can easily become dominant–not connecting–and loud, too bright, and creating discomfort. (Clue to the above ‘quiz.’)
Personally, “yellow” is not a color that I’d use in clothing for myself. Why? It doesn’t do anything positive for my appearance (!) BUT, I can use a chartreuse, a very strong green-yellow, in some cases. Then also, however, in a home there could be many wonderful places where a strong yellow color could be beautiful. Accessories, for example, are a great way to include a more “extreme” color to great advantage, depending on what else is in the room. Of course, a warm, pale type of yellow is often a beautiful color to be surrounded with.
A client “case study” story…for an example For Exterior color for a Victorian style home in the Boston area, the client very strongly stated they wanted PINK. Ok it’s an unusual request. In that case, as with in other similar situations where a client felt attached to a particular color, I always try to be collaborative. I believe it’s important to always consider client wishes. I can be definite in my recommendations and am always happy to state the reasons for my choices that I consider to be in the best interest of the client’s stated needs. But I have no interest in being a designer-dictator, making it only my own way.
What happened in “The Case of the Pink House” was that I created a few different color schemes with “pink” as the focus. While it would not have been my own, personal first choice, the goal was to find the Right “pink” that would satisfy the client while being in alignment with my professional concerns. So, in collaboration with this enthusiastic and happy client, the outcome was what you see in image #13 here, in the slideshow gallery, aboutThe Pink House.
Q: Homeowners: Are you about to make decisions about paint color?
Q: Builders and Painters: Are you about to recommend paint colors for a client?
Q: What are the best ways you can make high quality color test samples to help you make your color recommendations and decisions?
Are you a homeowner who is overwhelmed by the thousands of color choices available? If so, you’re not alone! In fact, even building professionals, who have been asked a thousand times “how will it look?” can sometimes feel like there are just too many colors out there to sort through to provide clients with something unique yet suitable. Either way, how much time and diligence do you have, to test a lot of color swatches and come up with the very best answer?
You can start with getting the largest possible print color sheets from your paint manufacturer. Set them up outside and have a look at the differences, even before you start actual paint testing.
For example, this group of colors from Sherwin Williams, as viewed outside in bright Northern California sunlight.
Whether you are doing this yourself or perhaps even suggesting that your client do it and let you know what they want to use (and some people will actually want to do this), I’d like to share a few tips that you can recommend, or even use yourself if they are new to you. It’s not “rocket science,” we all know that. But as with many things that seem simple and yet become overwhelming, there are proven methods to help.
Above: New colors for an HOA complex in Cambridge, MA.
To keep it simple, I recommend starting with the premise that color looks different in all types of lighting and of course throughout the day—and evening—on different surfaces. Color changes in corners, also, as it intensifies where two walls of the same color meet, and it changes in other ways depending on the actual lighting and also when two walls or surfaces (ie: wall and ceiling) of differing colors meet. It’s the angle that does it – whether the typical 90 degrees or something else, as in a vaulted ceiling, and the reflection of light causes the colors to affect each other.
Therefore, the following apply: 1. Make the paint test on a moveable and repositionable surface. Something that can be affixed temporarily to any wall, ceiling, or even floor (when you are painting a floor).
Note: do not use your blue tape on the edges of this! Tape the back side only.
2. Make the colored surfaces in proportion to each other, for example: Trim colors will usually be narrower than the wall or siding color surfaces.
3. Be sure the surface you paint the test on is primed, or at least under-painted with a color similar to what you’re testing. For example, you can of course use poster board but since it’s paper, it must be oil-primed so it does not warp. Personally I like the flat-finish, fast drying low odor products for this.
Note to professionals: I’ve typically prepared up to 20 or so poster boards with this type of oil primer, to have ready to go in advance–and easy to use at a moment’s notice–when preparing color tests for clients.
4. Roll on 2 coats of your finish (test) color, making the application as close to what you intend to do on the final surface. Use a roller or brush similar to what you plan to use on the job.
5. Use a stable surface with a texture similar to the wall or surface to be painted. IF the target surface is textured, it’s worth it to make a replica since color reacts so differently with the light falling on textured or smooth surfaces.
6. Be sure to do the test with the same finish you’ll be using on the actual surface (Flat? Eggshell? Semi-or-high-gloss?)
7. Label your sample cards.
8. Size: even if you have to create a few boards to make up each test color, try to end up with at least 4 square feet of new color. You can configure it in any way that they fit for your house view.
9. Paint an area about five feet square (minimum) of white, right on the house, so that when you test your new color boards you are not influenced by the existing house color. If this is not possible, hang up a white sheet on the side of the house (Pin, or even staple it to the siding) and put your test color boards on that. BE sure to include your new or existing trim color in this method.
OK, so what about materials? I mentioned using wood, (smooth and primed, of course), poster board and foam core (oil prime first), and you can use other substrates like gator board, or drywall (also prime).
Interior or exterior, the same process applies. For exterior work you might want to have some siding pieces available that are at least very similar to the house, if not the exact same thing. Doing more than just one “strip” (minimum 4 to 6 strips high, of clapboard style) will give a more accurate view of what the shadows will do at various times of day. Remember to make trim samples also, in the same widths as the actual trim and casings or other details.
Placement is important – try to place your siding strips next to the window or door casings, for the most accurate view of the colors and how they relate to each other.
So, you might ask, why go to all this trouble, anyway? The main reason is: Minimize confusion, and make the color choices easy. Stripes and color patches on the walls – and that includes exteriors – look messy and are visually confusing. You can’t see the specified colors next to each other on a large enough surface because there is just too much going on and the existing colors will inform the appearance of the tested colors.
To illustrate…
Instead of painting one or more “new” colors right on the house body, be sure to put the test colors on a moveable surface as described. It’s confusing to test multiple colors on the same surface (Note in this picture the blue is above, yellow is existing, and the brown is another test color.
Narrow strips for testing trim and detail colors should be placed right where they will be used.
Narrow strips are proportionate in size to the overall area when testing detail trim colors.
That’s just one of the functional beauties of using actual painted color samples! These collections are just the beginning…many more color style collections are in the works! Be sure to check back on my typically monthly newsletter for notifications.
